1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driver management apparatus and a method for driver management. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for managing a device driver.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional method, a device-client environment in which a device, such as a printer, and a client terminal apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as a “client” where necessary) are in communication with each other via a network, a driver compliant with the device is installed on the client.
More specifically, in the conventional method, when the device connected to the network sends a network entry message to the network, the client on the network installs a driver for the device in response to the network entry message.
Furthermore, the client installs the driver according to a reply from the device to a network entry message sent to the network upon connecting to the network. The conventional method like this is implemented, for example, by Universal Plug and Play (UPnP™) protocol of Microsoft® Corporation, Web Services for Devices (WSD), or the Rendezvous function of Apple® Inc. (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-38956).
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-66091 discusses a method for preventing installation of a driver unnecessary to a user on a client. In the conventional method discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-66091, a client includes a module for controlling a setting related to whether to accept UPnP. Furthermore, the client determines whether to install the driver for the device connected to the network according to the setting.